North Korea showdown?

[jmiller82]

I know there are already one or two posts about this subject, but most of them are not as broad as what I am speaking of (most deal with the carrier force deployment and the anti-missile interceptor system).

Anyway, I heard this morning that alot of the bigwigs on Capitol Hill are actually entertaining a pre-emptive strike (or is it preventative strike) on North Korea before they are able to launch the missile for testing. Wouldn't that be hillarious! My question (and it is purely rhetorical) is this: What are our three carriers (as A4 put it, "25% of our carrier force") with over 280 aircraft doing "war-gaming" in the Pacific? Seems to me that they are in fairly close striking distance of NK, should Congress or the Pres. decide to let 'em have it. Of course, this is just my personal opinion... I thought when we were war-gaming, it usually involved several other nations' navies/air forces.. It just seems odd that 25% of our carrier forces are within a moment's notice of striking distance to NK while "war-gaming" with tensions in the theater this high..

 

[HighDimension]

My question (and it is purely rhetorical) is this: What are our three carriers (as A4 put it, "25% of our carrier force") with over 280 aircraft doing "war-gaming" in the Pacific? Seems to me that they are in fairly close striking distance of NK, should Congress or the Pres. decide to let 'em have it.

I think you deserve a trophy for figuring out that one. If your question was rhetorical they might as well lock the thread now

 

[Brett327]

I know there are already one or two posts about this subject, but most of them are not as broad as what I am speaking of (most deal with the carrier force deployment and the anti-missile interceptor system).

Anyway, I heard this morning that alot of the bigwigs on Capitol Hill are actually entertaining a pre-emptive strike (or is it preventative strike) on North Korea before they are able to launch the missile for testing. Wouldn't that be hillarious! My question (and it is purely rhetorical) is this: What are our three carriers (as A4 put it, "25% of our carrier force") with over 280 aircraft doing "war-gaming" in the Pacific? Seems to me that they are in fairly close striking distance of NK, should Congress or the Pres. decide to let 'em have it. Of course, this is just my personal opinion... I thought when we were war-gaming, it usually involved several other nations' navies/air forces.. It just seems odd that 25% of our carrier forces are within a moment's notice of striking distance to NK while "war-gaming" with tensions in the theater this high..

Nobody is seriously considering anything of the sort and it would take a whole hell of a lot more assets than 3 carriers. Don't read anything into this. Exercises happen all the time and they take lots of time to plan and coordinate, thus eliminating any perceived connection with current events in NK. Real world answer to your rhetorical question.

Brett

 

[RichardDelk]

Not to mention the fact that it would be stupid for the United States to pre-emptively strike North Korea because they might launch a test missile. If they do launch it, the US will have the rest of the world backing them on a response to NK.

 

[usmcecho4]

I'm sure the Japanese and South Koreans would be pretty pissed if we sacrificed their cities over a North Korean test launch.

Semper Fi,
usmcecho4

 

[gaijin6423]

The Japanese and North Koreans like to fvck with each other. The North Koreans like to send raiding parties (via ocean-going freighters that have clamshell bows that open to disgorge a cigarette boat) to Japan to steal women for their prostitution industry*. And the JMSDF and Japanese Coast Guard enjoy sending the little commie *******s to hell. (I've got pictures somewhere, but I'll have to dig them up.)

The South Koreans? They adhere strictly to their 'Sunshine Policy', which entails them blowing an infinite amount of sunshine up Kim Il Jong's ass. They give him whatever he wants in the hopes that someday he'll realize the errors of his ways, and the penninsula will be whole again. I won't hold my breath, thank you.

As far as missiles being lobbed near Japan... It happened twice in 1998, with one landing in the Sea of Japan and the other going over Japan into the Pacific. Seems kind of like they were bracketing the island to me, but they could have just been tests. NK definitely has the range to wreak havoc in the regional theatre, but I have to wonder how much of their talk is merely that.

*--Some in East Asia would consider this a relatively fair practice, considering what the Japanese did to the populations of the nations they conquered before and during WW2. ...And the utter lack of appology for, or Japanese textbooks that make mention of, said atrocities.

 

[eddie]

(I've got pictures somewhere, but I'll have to dig them up.)

please do, if you have the time (sharing is my favorite part on AW )

 

[fighterpfeif]

I doubt there will ever be a war with North Korea that we start (Unless they try to lub a missile at us).

The only card the North Koreans have is WMD proliferation, missiles, and human wave attacks. All of which can be defeated with diplomacy, sanctions, security measures, missile defense, and a crap load of guns, bombs and artillery.

 

[Brett327]

I doubt there will ever be a war with North Korea that we start (Unless they try to lub a missile at us).

The only card the North Koreans have is WMD proliferation, missiles, and human wave attacks. All of which can be defeated with diplomacy, sanctions, security measures, missile defense, and a crap load of guns, bombs and artillery.

You obviously haven't seen the OPLAN for NK.

Brett

 

[Spot]

We could always test our missile defense system the same time they decide to launch. Just call it a coincidence.
Once our defense system destroys their missile in the first few minutes of flight, we can just call them up and say: "Well, our test was successful. How about yours?"

Whoops. Totally missed the thread about our defense system coming online. Sorry bout that.

 

[Flash]

Space Launch?

Has anyone thought that they might just be preparing a space launch?

"North Korea announced the launch of its first satellite on 31 August 1998. Despite these claims no foreign observer ever detected the satellite visually, by radar, or picked up its radio signals. The Pentagon at first claimed it was an ICBM launch, and that the satellite story was just a cover for the test. However on further analysis of the data collected on the launch they admitted nearly a month later that there had been some a satellite launch attempt. What seems to have happened is that the third stage either failed and fell into the Pacific or misfired and put the satellite into a low orbit where it decayed very quickly before it could be detected by foreign observers."

Here is the link, looks like a pretty decent site: http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/taedong1.htm

 

[BigRed389]

Yeah...but if they can put a satellite in orbit, they sure as hell can hit something on Earth right?

Funny thing about the ROKs is that at the moment the "state" side of the government actually seems more hostile with Japan over a pissant little island in the middle of nowhere than with the DPRK.

 

[gaijin6423]

Don't underestimate the blow to national pride that losing one of those rocks (literally barely enough room for a man to stand and a flagpole) in the South China Sea or Sea of Japan. It's a stupid, stupid, STOOPUD thing to fight over, but it's all about saving face and the honorable solution. Besides, since when have asian communists ever been accused of being reasonable?

 

[BigRed389]

Don't underestimate the blow to national pride that losing one of those rocks (literally barely enough room for a man to stand and a flagpole) in the South China Sea or Sea of Japan. It's a stupid, stupid, STOOPUD thing to fight over, but it's all about saving face and the honorable solution. Besides, since when have asian communists ever been accused of being reasonable?

Yeah...but it's the ROKs that are getting pissy over the rock. On the other side of the coin, it doesn't even make sense that Japan gives a damn about it as well.
But hey even the "democratic" governments aren't always reasonable.

I mean hey, for another example, let's leave the national capital and economic heart of the country within artillery range of a country that's invaded us!
Pure genius.

 

[Cobra Commander]

Yeah...but it's the ROKs that are getting pissy over the rock. On the other side of the coin, it doesn't even make sense that Japan gives a damn about it as well.
Pure genius.

Maybe.... if the Japanese acted like they didn't want the rock any more then maybe the NK's wouldn't want it anymore either. Thats what I would do!

I'm so freakin smart sometimes